HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today voted down a proposal that would have placed restrictions on crossbow use for the 2009-10 seasons. The 4-4 tie vote is not sufficient to give the proposed rulemaking the final adoption needed, so the previously approved regulations governing the use of crossbows for the 2009-10 seasons - as outlined in the 2009-10 Digest - will remain in effect.

On July 9, by a vote of 4-3, the Board gave preliminary approval to regulatory changes to restrict the use of crossbows for the upcoming fall hunting seasons. Following the July 9th vote, the proposed rule-making was
reviewed by the state Office of Attorney General and published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on Aug. 22.

Those voting today in favor of the proposal were Game Commissioner Ron Weaner, who requested that the proposal be placed on the July meeting agenda; as well as Game Commissioners Tom Boop, David Schreffler and Jay Delaney. Those voting today against the proposal were Game Commissioners Greg Isabella, David Putnam, Robert Schlemmer and Ralph Martone.

Based on today's action, crossbows may be used by hunters participating in the archery deer and archery bear seasons for the 2009-10 seasons, as well as turkey seasons and the two-week firearms deer seasons.

Under the regulations, a crossbow must have a minimum drawn weight of at least 125 pounds, and a bolt must be equipped with a broadhead that has an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 inches with at least two cutting edges on the same plane throughout the length of the cutting surface, and shall not exceed three inches in length.

Hunters participating in the October muzzleloader antlerless deer season or late flintlock muzzleloader season are not permitted to use the crossbow in place of their muzzleloader. Hunters participating in the overlapping
archery deer seasons may use a crossbow. A sunset date for this expanded crossbow use will require a future Board to vote on the measure again before June 30, 2012.

Thanks for the update, Ben. I figured it would go that way, based on a conversation I had with one of the crossbow manufacturers. This will be an interesting season. With this not being resolved until now, I think lots of PA hunters will remain confused about the crossbow issue, and it remains to be seen what the bad economy does to crossbow purchases.

Steve

When the Everyday Hunter isn't hunting, he's thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting.

I can't say I agree with crossbows being legal for anyone to use in PA's archery season. I believe it is a wonderful idea for handicapped individuals and for kids, but for a grown man to walk out of camp the first day of archery season with a crossbow.. it's like shooting a gun. Put the scope on 'em, pull the trigger. Now, I might be partial due to shooting instinctively all my life but I believe archery season should consist of drawing a compound, long, or recurve bow and firing an arrow. Not pulling the trigger on a crossbow and sending a bolt through the air.

Well...I disagree with all of the negativity towards using crossbows in PA. It gets more hunters into the woods which gives all of us a chance to show opposition to the current political and activist stance on eliminating hunting completely from our society.

That said, I also believe that using a crossbow is a every bit as challenging as using another kind of bow. The archer still needs to get close to the game to harvest it. By close, we're talking 15-40 yards. Crossbow bolts drop dramatically after that distance. Also, compared to a recurve or longbow archer (with a back quiver), a crossbow user cannot load a second arrow/bolt as quick. It requires putting the bow down, stepping into a foot stirrup, using a cocking rope and pulling the string back to lock it with a loud click...then putting the bolt on the bow. Compare that to reaching behind you, grabbing an arrow and nocking it. Way less movement.

It all depends on the archer and his/her pratice regimen, too. I just helped a hunter drag out a doe that he shot with a crossbow. The 1st shot was high (almost a spine shot). His 2nd shot was in the neck. The doe was still alive and struggling. I had to show him where to place his last bolt and made him stand 1 yard away to shoot. We gave her a few minutes to pass before I helped him drag her out. Now, do I fault the crossbow because of those shots?? No, I fault the archer whose obvious lack of practice and distance judging caused the poor shots.

Remember, a lot of similar "complaints" were made about compound bows when they were introduced...

I wasn't to excited to hear that crossbows were legalized completely for the entire archery season, but it also isn't worth loosing sleep over either. I have to disagree that crossbows are every bit as challenging as compound bows. Yes, you still have to get close to the deer, but the big kicker with a compound bow is drawing on the deer without getting busted. Also, you are able to rest the crossbow on your stand, a tree, your lap, etc... allowing you to hold much steadier and therefore be able to shoot at further distances. I no a lot of bowhunters that won't take shots over 30 yards because they can't hold steady enough to shoot past that distance. Adding 20 more yards onto that would probably provide them with more shot opportunities. Will it totally change the amount of deer harvested in archery season? Its doubtful, but its hard to say. I think a limited season from the start would have been the better choice that way we can see what impact using crossbows is really going to have.

We hunters need to stick together on hunting issues. I've hunted with a compound 15 years before switching to a crossbow. Less movement is the biggest advantage of a crossbow over a vertical bow. Sure, there are other differences, but so what. We all have to get close to make a clean kill. It is not "just like a gun" as I have heard in other forums. It is quiet like a bow, has limited range like a bow and cuts with the same broadheads stick bows use. You have to scout just like any other archer does because of it's limited range.
For years Ohio has allowed crossbows to share the archery season. The woods were not overrun with crossbows. The quality of everyone's hunt is just fine. The majority of crossbow hunters are just like the majority of vertical bow hunters...they love their sport and love their time in the deer woods. Lets hunt together as brother hunters and not advisaries. We do it in Ohio...you can do it in Pa.

It is always, without fail, those folks that know absolutely nothing about crossbows that sit behind their keyboards and say stuff like: not as challenging...like shooting a gun... not archery... gonna ruin our bow season.. and my personal favorite-ballistically superior to a vertical bow.

This is all mindless, baseless, drivel and frankly a little embarrassing to all deerhunters.

In every other regard the serious deerhunter usually knows a great deal about habitats, biology, behavior, ballistics and equipment. And when they do not know something, they immediately seek the truth in a quest to become better hunters. Until the crossbow is mentioned. And then suddenly, people become retarded judgemental bloviators. No facts? No problem, here is what I think ,etc,etc. Drives me nuts...

Don't know about the economy but my buddy runs a sporting goods store and even now that the season has started people are still buying crossbows. He has sold well over 100 crossbows since August. Good for business hope it will turn out well in the end for all hunters. Hopefully all can get along in the woods together.